Stalags (2008)

Director: Ari Libsker

Starring: Ezra Narkis, K. Tzetnik

More info: IMDb

Plot: Documentary film about pornographic Stalag fiction books popular in Israel around the time of the Adolf Eichmann trial.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? Once was fine but maybe.


WOW, What an interesting documentary! The first half of this hour long film talks about the very brief history of these books. The cover artwork is outstanding and you can clearly see where the Nazisploitation film movement got its inspiration from. This is it without question (although this doc doesn't mention them).


The second half deals with more of the demise, political and social aspects of the books. I've never heard of these and they sound absolutely fascinating. I must have one. I noticed K. Tzetnik's controversial novel that kind of started it all, "House of Dolls", is on Amazon used for about forty clams. I'm very tempted...Fuck it, I'll get it. You didn't even try and stop me, damn you! Now I'm going to have to read, I mean research, this 60 year old smut.

For much more information than I have time to regurgitate, check out this article by Isabel Kershner.

Dragstrip Riot (1958)

Director: David Bradley

Starring: Yvonne Fedderson, Gary Clarke, Fay Wray, Bob Turnbull, Connie Stevens

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Motorcycle gangs, hot rodders, death, romance and redemption!

Plot: After a run-in with a tough motorcycle gang, where Gary Clarke is blamed when one of the bikers is sent out of control over a cliff, he and his girl are threatened and pursued. On to the beach riot, where the real culprit is unmasked and retaliates with his spear gun.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? Noop.

#7 on 42nd Street Forever Vol. 2: The Deuce (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)

Put this one in the category of, "The trailer is soooooo much better than the movie.". No joke. DRAGSTRIP RIOT isn't really all that horrible, I guess. I'm sure I would have dug it more as a teen 60 years ago. The hoppin' jazzy score is fun. It reminded me of the score from FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! (1965). It's a riot. The rest of this teen angst drama, action, biker flick is not. It's routine and by the numbers - exactly what you'd expect from a 68 minute B picture from this era only this one's got Fay Wray (looking very scrummy for being in her 50s) and Connie Stevens. These throwaway pictures aren't a bad way to kill an hour but you can do better. The marketing geniuses behind the poster and trailer deserve a raise.

Greaser's Palace (1972)

Director: Robert Downey Sr.

Starring: Allan Arbus, Albert Henderson, Michael Sullivan, Luana Anders, Herve Villechaize, Toni Basil

More info: IMDb

Tagline: He's got the boogie on his fingers & the hubba-hubba in his soul!

Plot: A parable based on the life of Christ. This ain't your father's Bible story, full of references about the destruction of the world through massive constipation and a New Mexican setting.

My rating: 5/10

Will I watch it again? I have the strangest feeling I'm going to have to.


WHAT...THE...FUCK did I just watch? If ever I needed a director's commentary track, this is it. It's a surreal comedy/arthouse/western that has a few laughs and A LOT of head scratching. Since this follows the Jesus story, you can pick up bits and pieces that make sense. Here's our introduction to Jessey (Allan Arbus) that's a perfect example of how far out of left field this thing is.

A family rides across the plain when...


It's so out there it's hilarious. See, Jessey just wants to be a song and dance man and he's going to Jerusalem to seek out Morris the agent. He meets people along the way that are just as nutty (if not more so) than he is. At one point he tells the story about an evil monster named, Bingo Gas Station Motel Cheeseburger with a Side of Aircraft Noise and You'll Be Gary Indiana. That's his name. That Arbus is able to say it more than once with a straight face is worth watching this picture for about 15 minutes. I say only that much because this is a reaaaaal hard one to stay awake on. It's got way too many scenes that will have you wondering WTF or put you to sleep.

Here's that funny bit.

and another one...

Don't let these clips fool you - these are just some highlights and there aren't that many.

But, hey! You get to see 80s pop sensation, Toni Basil topless!


And Herve Villechaize queering it up!


In addition to those two, I did enjoy the hell out of Arbus's performance and some of the side characters. This is my introduction to Robert Downey Sr. and if this is what I can expect, I may need some friggin' cliff notes before watching his PUTNEY SWOPE (1969).

Super Fly T.N.T. (1973)

Director: Ron O'Neal

Starring: Ron O'Neal, Roscoe Lee Browne, Sheila Frazier, Robert Guilaume, Jacques Sernas, William Berger

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Same dude with a different plan... in another country with a different man.

Plot: We catch up with Priest in Rome, where the one-time crime lord, weary of the hustling of his Harlem operation and eager to get his head clear, is ready for some permanent R 'n' R. He has no interest when an African freedom fighter (Roscoe Lee Browne) asks for his help on a gun-running mission. But Priest ultimately discovers he cannot turn his back on the land of his ancestors. He joins the fight. And when he's in a fight, it means war!

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

Friday night it was SUPER FLY (1972) which means that Saturday night just had to be SUPER FLY T.N.T (1973)! O'Neal takes the director's chair this time and it shows. Even though it's not the fun ride the first picture was, it's got a lot of nice things going for it. O'Neal just oozes with charisma. I don't know why this guy didn't dominate action cinema in the 70s. He's just too cool.

He's back as the man with the car...


the threads...


and the chicks (well, just one chick this time)!


I really dug the poker scene where Priest bests his poker rival. VERY nice! The acting is great, particularly by Roscoe Lee Browne. This guy is a class act if there ever was one. But a few nice scenes and charismatic actors can't make up for the weak direction. There's nothing wrong with the story (it shares a similar plot from the first movie involving the guy Priest pulled out of retirement) but it's how O'Neal handles it. The film just sits there sometimes, meandering from one scene to the next, not feeling like it's focused.


And then there's the odd inclusion of Robert Guillaume. His character, as far as I could gather, served little purpose to the the story but I loved seeing him in the picture. He's a delight to watch. Oh, and that scene where he sings is priceless. He does such a great job at lip synching I've just got to wonder if that's really his voice. My money says it is.

Speaking of music, you can't have a good Blaxploitation flick without a good, funky score. Especially after Curtis Mayfield's fantastic score for SUPER FLY, the score for the sequel is a tough one to swallow. The music by Osibisa is pretty bad and out of place and it's practically embarrassing at times. Overall, SFTNT is a let down over the first movie despite a fantastic cast, nice location shooting in Rome and some memorable set pieces. Regardless, though, if you like SUPER FLY you're going to have to watch this one. You just have to.

Super Fly (1972)

Director: Gordon Parks Jr.

Starring: Ron O'Neal, Carl Lee, Sheila Frazier, Julius Harris

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Never a dude like this one! He's got a plan to stick it to The Man!

Plot: Ron O'Neal stars as big, bad Youngblood Priest, a cocaine dealer who realizes the thug life isn't for him and puts together one last deal that will net him enough money so he can start over. But he knows his "colleagues" won't quite agree with his escape plan, so he must find a way to save his soul and come out of the whole mayhem alive.

My rating: 7.5/10

Will I watch it again? I can dig it!

Now this is what you watch late on a Friday night when you're looking for something fun. After hearing about this flick since I was a kid in the 70s I finally saw it. Fun movie, man! O'Neal is fantastic as the titular character and backed by a kick ass Curtis Mayfield song and score, this cat is cool.as.hell.

He's got the car...


the threads...


and the chicks!


Normally drug dealers in movies are low lifes but O'Neal makes it seem legit, sexy and cool. They never mention how their trade destroys lives and communities. This must be that good cocaine that makes people more efficient, prosperous and productive members of society. SUPER FLY is a very good, down on the street Blaxploitation flick that makes me feel somewhat ashamed that it took me thirty something years to get around to it. And days later I still can't get Mayfield's infectious song, "Pusher Man", out of my head.

Panic In Year Zero! (1962)

Director: Ray Milland

Starring: Ray Milland, Jean Hagen, Frankie Avalon, Mary Mitchel, Joan Freeman

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Where Science Fiction Ends And Fact Begins!!

Plot: A family of four leaves Los Angeles for a camping trip just before a nuclear bomb destroys the city. As lawlessness prevails, the father must fight to keep his family alive.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Yup.

#3 on SCI-FI TRAILERS VOLUME 9 & 10 (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)

This one's been on my radar for many, many years and I finally got around to it. Ray Milland can officially do no wrong. The guy wins an Oscar in '45 for THE LOST WEEKEND and he spends the rest of his career doing every type of genre imaginable and regardless of how low the budget or how small the check, he puts everything into it like his next Oscar rides on it. Balls, baby. Balls. Gotta love that level of respect for the field.


Milland not only stars in PANIC but he directs it and does a damn fine job. He gets good performances out of the entire cast (who knew Frankie Avalon could act?), has several scenes oozing with tension and he's able to deliver a sometimes frightening look at the aftermath of a nuclear attack. The first few minutes when they see that flash behind them is pretty damn tense and chilling. Milland (as Harry) makes some quick and bold decisions that ultimately keep them alive. They may not be the ones you'd make (I certainly didn't agree with all of them) but he does the best he can under the extreme circumstances to protect his family - his only duty.


Les Baxter's jazzy score is fun. It might seem out of place today but it fits for the period. I expect that a well-written dramatic score (by Bernard Herrmann, perhaps) would have been so effective that it would have scared audiences shitless. This isn't some throwaway nuclear holocaust flick. It touches on a lot of thought-provoking issues that were just as real 50 years ago as they are today...AND IT'S FROM 1962! Very good flick. Netflix has it on an MGM widescreen double bill with THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964) which, together, make one hell of a post apocalyptic night at the movies!

Appaloosa (2008)

Director: Ed Harris

Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Jeremy Irons, Renee Zellwegger, Lance Henriksen

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Feelings get you killed.

Plot: When a malicious, land-hungry rancher (Irons) has the marshal and deputy of Appaloosa killed, two gunmen (Mortensen and Harris) blow into town to restore law and order. But the stakes are raised even higher when a beautiful widow (Zellweger) of uncertain convictions enters the picture.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Sure as shootin'.


I came this close to watching DJANGO (1966) last night. I was in the mood for a good western and even though it's been nearly ten years since I saw DJANGO, I thought I'd go with something I hadn't seen so APPALOOSA won out. I'm so glad I did. Don't get me wrong; DJANGO is chock full of awesomeness but good modern westerns are few and far between.


Ed Harris is just a badass of an actor. He's one intense mofo and this one's no exception. The performances all around (almost) are great. The interplay between the two pals played by Mortensen and Harris is fun and you get a good feel that these two are genuine. Irons is always fun and he gets some good face time as a down and dirty bad guy, pissed off bad guy and finally a nice guy with an elegant twist of 'fuck you'. I didn't recognize Lance Henriksen at first. He didn't look as gaunt as usual. Regardless, he's always a hoot.


That leaves Zellweger. She's the only one I felt was miscast. She did a good job I guess; I just wasn't fully sold. The IMDb trivia says that Diane Lane was originally cast. It's a shame she didn't stick as I'm sure her inclusion would've added another half point to my score.

How 'bout that parenthetical smile, huh?

I really like how even the good guys (Mortensen, Harris & Zellweger) have some serious flaws that don't make them so 'good' at times. There's also some real character development. The cinematography is gorgeous. The gun shots are reserved and sound more realistic. I recall the shots in OPEN RANGE (2003) were similar which I really dug. Jeff Beal's score worked. The end credit sequence was really nicely done but the inclusion of a modern song (by Tom Petty) was an offense to my ears. The song was OK but the movie ended on a nice, somewhat quiet note and then BAM! The song starts a few decibels to loud and ruins the moment. It felt like one of those "Not get your ass out of your seat and make room for the next audience" endings. I hate that shit. If the film had ended with a bang, it would have been fine and I wouldn't have mentioned it.


When I saw the trailer when it was about to hit the theater I was turned off by Zellweger. She's barely in the trailer but she just rubbed me raw thinking about it. Then the reviews came out and the general consensus was that it was a good movie but the love story bogged it down. That's what kept me from plunking down my dollars. I was so wrong to do that. I wish I had ignored what others said (including people I knew) and went to the theater. Westerns deserve a better turnout - especially the good ones, which this one certainly is. From now on, unless it stars Justin Bieber or someone of that ilk, I'll hit the theater for every Western that comes down the pike.